Evaluation of Functional Filtering Bleb Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

PURPOSE: This study investigated whether filtering blebs can be evaluated using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) and compared vascularity parameters with conventional bleb grading systems. METHODS: A total of 92 patients with glaucoma, who underwent mitomycin C–augmented trabeculectomy, were enrolled in this study, and 92 eyes were assessed in total. The participants underwent OCT-A in external mode and anterior segment photography for bleb evaluation. For evaluation of bleb vascularity, a blinded observer carefully drew the bleb area on the original OCT-A image using a semiautomated program that calculated the color and brightness densities of the selected area. A blinded observer also classified the grades of the bleb vessels using the Indiana Bleb Appearance Grading Scale (IBAGS) and Moorfields Bleb Grading System (MBGS). The vascularity parameters using OCT-A were compared with the IBAGS and MBGS results. In addition, the correlation between intraocular pressure (IOP) and the bleb vascularity parameters was assessed. RESULTS: Vessel density measured by OCT-A demonstrated excellent inter- and intraobserver reproducibility. The color and brightness densities were positively correlated with the IBAGS and MBGS vascularity scores. There was no difference in accuracy when predicting IOP risk using vascularity scores from the IBAGS and MBGS or when estimating IOP risk using the color and brightness densities on the net reclassification index. CONCLUSIONS: Bleb evaluation using OCT-A can evaluate vessel vascularity and showed correlation to the IBAGS and MBGS vascularity grading. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: Bleb vascularity measurements using OCT-A could potentially provide objective and quantitative vessel parameters for bleb evaluation following trabeculectomy.